Wed 22 January 2025 16:00, UK
The PGA Tour has been dealt a blow at the start of the 2025 season, with Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele both dealing with injuries right now.
There was plenty of excitement heading into 2025, particularly after Scottie Scheffler won the Hero World Challenge by six shots in December several months after his previous event.
Unfortunately, a hand injury sustained on Christmas Day ruled Scheffler out of the first events of the year, with the world number one undergoing surgery. And the 28-year-old had to push his comeback back further, as Scheffler subsequently announced that he was missing The American Express.
Xander Schauffele did tee it up at The Sentry. However, he also withdrew from The American Express due to a rib injury.
How concerned should fans be over the injuries to Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele
There remains a question mark over when Scheffler and Schauffele will be back in action. Of course, while the season is in its infancy, it will not be too long before thoughts will start to turn to the Masters and the first major of the year at Augusta National.
But speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Rex Hoggard has suggested that he is not overly worried about Scheffler after speaking with his coach, while Schauffele’s injury may be the one which causes more concern.
“A trainer will tell you that a traumatic injury is by far preferred because if you cut your hand you need surgery, you need stitches, you need time to let it heal and you should get back to right where you were.
I had a chance to talk to Randy Smith, Scottie’s swing coach last week, and there is no level of concern there. Because they know it is just going to take time. He might miss Pebble, he might miss Genesis for all we know. But eventually he will get himself right, my guess is well before the Masters, and that’s where we want to see him at his best,” he said.
Xander Schauffele of the United States acknowledges the gallery after holing out on the 9th green during the second round of the Zozo Championship …
Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images
“A chronic injury is much more concerning, that’s what Will Zalatoris dealt with and ended up having to have surgery and really lost a year of his career trying to deal with.
“That is what Tiger Woods has had to deal with for the better part of the last decade. I am not saying that is what Xander Schauffele is trying to deal with here. It’s a rib injury, it could just be that he slept wrong, or he was on a plane. It could be something very simple that he is going to get over in the next couple of weeks. If you are asking me which one of those I am more concerned about, it’s going to be Xander though, because a rib injury is pretty complicated and everything about the golf swing is about the ribs. It is going to be pretty uncomfortable and you are not going to be able to do it if that persists. That said he could rebound and be back at Pebble Beach, which seems to be his timeline on this front.”
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Scheffler has been back in the gym, but clearly, an injury in the palm of his hand is far from ideal, particularly if there is any danger of the wound opening up again.
Similarly, Schauffele can hardly swing a golf club while his ribs are causing him issues. So both players are going to have to be patient while they wait to return to the game.
The good news for the PGA Tour is there is likely to be additional excitement when they do return, particularly if it comes at a signature event. But clearly, there remains real doubt over when exactly they will both tee it up next.
